Congressman Sorensen Applauds Passage of Bipartisan Legislation as Key Step Towards Bringing $25 Million+ in Federal Funding to IL-17

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) announced he voted to pass the 2026 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), critical bipartisan legislation which serves as a step towards bringing federal funding for several water resource and flood control project to Illinois's 17^th Congressional District. When the process is complete, over $25 million in federal funding could come to the district as well as renewed support from United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for future evaluations, surveys, and other projects across IL-17.

"Our neighbors should never have to wonder if the water they're drinking is clean or worry their sewer system could back-up at a moment's notice," said Congressman Sorensen. "I'm glad that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle could join together, advance this critical legislation, and forge a path toward making a real difference in our communities. But the work doesn't end here, and I look forward to working with everyone to ensure these transformative projects go from plans and dreams to shovels in the ground."

The most recent WRDA, the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, was signed into law on January 4, 2025. Congress has enacted a bipartisan WRDA every two years since 2014, making the upcoming bill the seventh consecutive bipartisan WRDA.

Included in this package are authorizations for the following projects:

• $15 million for a clearwell replacement in East Moline:
  • Funding would replace a deteriorating clearwell, which is a critical tool used to disinfect drinking water during the last stage of the purification process. This project has been classified as an emergency by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency because the city does not have a backup clearwell which provides potable water to over 21,000 residents, and approximately 415 businesses including John Deere World Headquarters.
• $8 million for water treatment plant and water supply infrastructure improvements in South Pekin:
  • Funding would replace watermains throughout the community. Upgrading mains will remove current levels of manganese and eliminate the associated health risks currently exposed to the community. Without this additional assistance, the village will have to increase residential water bills by $50 per household for the next 40 years, resulting in a 300% increase in families' water bills.
• $1.5 million for Linn St lift station replacement in Port Byron:
  • Funding would replace a deteriorating, over 80-year-old sanitary sewer lift station. Doing so will help prevent sewer backups and potential release of untreated sewer water, contaminating impacted residences and businesses.
• $1 million for a sewer relocation and water infrastructure replacement project in Shannon:
  • Funding would relocate their sanitary system and replace an old and failing watermain segment and culvert which serves a large portion of the village's residents and local businesses. If left unreplaced, a failure would create an immediate public health hazard, including the risk of sewage backups and uncontrolled discharge impacting nearby residents and the environment.

The bill also contains:

• New language directing the USACE to support the Big Island Local Flood Protection Project:
  • Also known as the Big Island River Conservancy District located in Milan, Illinois.
  • New language directs the USACE to evaluate the town's ability to afford the studies and work needed to address their failing levee or provide a better cost-share structure. Should the levee fail, many households and a nearby village-which provides emergency services to the region-will be underwater.
• A $7 million funding pool for projects in Rockford:
  • Funding could potentially be used for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance projects.

The 2026 WRDA contains authorizations for numerous projects across the country; however, this legislation does not appropriate any federal dollars. For more information on the federal budget and appropriations process, visit this webpage from the Congressional Research Service here.

Additionally, this legislation contains language that could potentially transfer jobs from the United States Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters at Rock Island Arsenal (USACE-RIA HQ), something Congressman Sorensen is deeply opposed to.

"While it remains unclear what the exact impact will be on USACE-RIA HQ and our Quad Cities communities, I'm deeply disappointed this provision was included in a bill designed to do so much good for our region," continued Sorensen. "I believe the projects supported in this legislation make a compelling case for our continued support of USACE-RIA HQ, and I will continue to be a strong advocate for it in Congress."

To learn more about Congressman Sorensen's continued advocacy on behalf of your community in Washington, visit his website here.

Congressman Eric Sorensen represents Illinois' 17^th District in the United States House of Representatives. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for more than 20 years. His district includes Illinois' Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.

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